S.O.S. (Open to 4)

About two miles off the coast, a large cargo ship was on standby, flanked by a pair of light cruisers. It was carrying valuable cargo in the form of salvaged Zydon tech from the many skirmishes that occurred in and around the vicinity of Jump. The military was not dumb after all and learning more about the hostile aliens by studying their technology was invaluable. Unfortunately, said hostile aliens were not about to let them walk away freely with their toys.

It was both a recovery operation as well as a chance to reverse the situation by gaining more intel on the United States military. The Zydon army managed to track down the ship from homing beacons still left intact in the tech gathered on board the ship. Quite possibly an oversight on the part of the humans but it helped set up this counter-offensive. The seas were about to be dyed red. Or at least it would have been, if it wasn't currently as black as the night providing cover for our alien invaders.

It was an attack on two fronts. A drop ship unloaded a squad of Braves from the sky. They were making short work of the light cruisers thanks to their aerial superiority and powerful lasers. It was only a matter of time before the pair sank. Meanwhile, a squad of Coverts began to secretly board the ship from beneath the pitch black waters. Among the invaders from under the sea was special ops agent Eas Uria, who was only participating in this mission due to a special request from one of the Zydon commanders.

There was a cold, almost uninterested expression on her face as she made it on to the deck. She was willing to bet she wasn't going to find what she was looking for there. But orders were orders, and if she didn't perform exceptionally, it might threaten what meager freedom of movement she had. Keeping that in mind, the ship wasn't going anywhere with its goods, even if she had to sink it.

As expected, the cargo ship did have a detachment of soldiers on board to guard it. Most of them were armed and now on the deck after the drop ship initiated its assault on the cruisers. They opened fire almost immediately the moment Eas showed up. She wasn't surprised. Tonight, she was the one going to do the surprising. She vanished from view no sooner than when they started shooting. The soldiers didn't stop firing though, having knowledge of Coverts and thinking she was the same. What came next happened in a span of no more than twenty seconds.

One by one, the firearms the men were carrying dropped to the ground... along with their hands and even forearms for some. The air was soon filled with screams of pain. The Zydon speedster had circled around and infiltrated their formation, quickly "disarming" every solder she came across with deadly precision and efficiency. Even when the few left had realized what was happening, there was hesitation in their response as they couldn't just carelessly shoot with their comrades all around them. Eas gladly took advantage of this and promptly had them meet the same fate as those before them. When it was all over, at least 20 soldiers were down on the ground writhing in pain from their severed limbs.

Eas wiped the blood off her blade as she started walking towards the bridge. By now the Coverts would have secured the engine room and were making an inventory of the cargo below deck. The flying Braves were doing a good job of making sure the cruisers were unable to provide any support to the big ship, having more than enough trouble on their hands. The operation was going well.

The door to the bridge opened before Eas reached it. A cloaked man stood in the doorway, a claymore hanging on his back. His silver hair blew in the wind as he stepped outside and studied the Zydon. He could only assume the girl was a Zydon, even though she had powers similar to many meta-humans. Perhaps Earth wasn't the only planet with a meta population.

Dar smiled. He had volunteered to provide extra security for this ship in hopes that something like this would happen. Now he would be able to kill some more of these aliens who threatened his city and world. They could not be allowed to conquer Earth in his stead. Each meta-human that they killed was one that Dar did not receive the glory of purging. He didn't need their help, and they obviously didn't intend their actions as such.

"Your mission has failed," Dar said calmly. "I suppose you could call this a trap. Before we begin, do you have a name? I would like to know it." Dar drew his claymore, but made no move to attack. He would not attack anyone, even this alien, unless he was attacked first. Once one of the Zydons attacked him, though, he would show no mercy.

"[Mior forbids you child! Do not speak!]" A scything cry cut through the ruckus of restless sea and dying men. In an acoustic feat, those noises receded entirely for the duration of time it took one robed figure to climb three steps onto the sky deck. Laser detonations revitalised the sound with renewed vigour as the arrival continued to approach on three legs. His hood was down, exposing a healthy crest of white hair. This was in contrast to the ceremonial mask he wore, hiding wrinkles and bags that foretold his advanced age. Whilst wooden, his staff was evidently of alien material, being green. Despite its use as a walking aid the Prior appeared to glide.

Wanjack Ekmed paused thirty paces from the pair. His prim and resolute stature expressed that he was above this carnage that surrounded them. That in lieu of his orders to the troop, he would never stoop to the level of a career killer. To do so would dirty his hands and Ekmed, he assured himself, was pure. Unlike this cur which uttered the word 'trap'. Could an asteroid trap a star in its gravitational pull? Zydon might was inexorable.

"[To quote Mior's passage: 'Speak not the tongue of falsifiers; lest you be ensnared by fabricated words and false imageries.']" Now and as before Ekmed spoke in nothing but his species' own tongue. Learning English was a simple matter. The technology was there to bridge linguistic gaps. However, as a matter of pride, he would not allow the soldiers here to treat this man as equal. As usual, the Book of Temporance provided a handy excuse for his haughtiness. Today.

"[Your orders stand. Slay them all. The Voids will recognise their own.]"

Eas was on guard as the new player revealed himself, stepping out from the door leading to the bridge. She was still a good 20 paces away but she could already tell from his bearing that he was very much different from the soldiers she had so easily disarmed earlier. He was solidly-built and wielded a large weapon. His choice of words revealed his confidence in his abilities. But she wondered how he could speak of their mission failing when every second he spent there with her moved them closer to success. The Coverts below deck were already working on transferring the cargo to the second ship stationed underwater.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of one of the mission's sponsors. Prior Ekmed, a man known for his strong beliefs. He had many followers and was quite influential. He was better off sitting back and just letting them work, but she supposed it was good for morale to have one of the leader figures making an appearance in the battlefield.

"[Acknowledged]" She responded in Zydon tongue. In the end, he didn't really say anything she didn't already know. She never had any intention of speaking with the swordsman.

Eas prepared to face the enemy before her, her trusted blade in hand. His skill and strength were unknown. Even if he didn't personally witness her in action, the aftermath was all around them. And yet here he was, still confident he could win. That alone was enough of a flag to tell her to be wary. It was time to find out if his words held any weight. She took the first step forward... but that would be the only thing he would see before the Zydon speedster turned into nothing more than a blur, almost invisible in the cover of the night. She passed him on his lower left side, sliding her blade to make a clean slice on his left leg, with the intention of severing a tendon and bringing him to his knees.

Whether it cut or not, her final position would be 20 paces behind him, observing the results, her face as expressionless as always.

Dar was disappointed that Eas had not shared her name with him, or even acknowledged him in any way. Perhaps that strange floating man was responsible. He looked like he might be one of those 'magic' using aliens that Dar hated fighting so much. For now, at least, the masked man seemed content to speak in the strange Zydon language to his allies. He wasn't threatening Dar at the moment, so Dar would leave him alone as well.

Eas was fast, but Dar already knew that. He had witnessed her fight against the soldiers, if you could call it that. Dar didn't even try to dodge her blade. He probably wouldn't be able to succeed, even if he could see the attack coming.

The Zydon blade hit Dar's leg, but did not cut his flesh. Through the narrow cut in his pants, you there was no blood visible, and Dar himself did not react. He had not been hurt, but he grinned. She had struck him in combat. Everything he did from this point was in self-defense, even if he ended up killing her.

How did one fight a speedster? Dar was no slow-poke himself, but he knew he couldn't keep up with Eas. As long as her feet were on the ground, she could stay out of Dar's range and avoid projectiles with relative ease. He would simply have to take her feet off the ground.

The rage inside Dar grew, enough that it might be felt by the nearby Zydon, if they paid close enough attention. Dar let out a war cry before jumping 20 into the air. He came down head first, and punched the deck of the ship a moment before he would have landed.

The ship shook...violently. The dead bodies of soldiers were flung into the air, and every Zydon Brave on the ship, even those below deck, stumbled and fell. The steel deck where Dar's fist had connected collapsed in on itself, and Dar had to pull his arm out of the hole before he could turn his attention to his opponent. The force of his punch had pushed his body back enough to make him land on his knees, much preferable to his head.

Dar could only hope that Eas had been knocked off her feet quite harshly. He hadn't counted on the ship's deck giving out, and had wasted a second of precious time that he could have used attacking his possibly prone opponent. He stood, but didn't have time to do much more than stare at her.

Wanjack witnessed his enemy's might in its entirety and was unmoved. Both literally and figuratively. A seismic wave rippled beneath his robes and carried on. It had not inconvenienced the elderly magician in the slightest. This was of course because he was currently hovering an couple inches off the ground; imperceptible at a glance or even after careful study. The only tremor travelled up his staff giving his carved stick a sudden jolt as if it were coming to life. Ekmed raised the cane horizontally and allowed it to shiver unhindered. The world was violently shifting at his feet and here was he maintaining poise. Such grace was bestowed upon those who accepted the Voids into their heart.

A more attuned onlooker would be preoccupied with their prior underestimation of the challenger. However, battle did not consume Ekmed. His mind was on higher things, blind to the fortunes of petty combat. Eas may win, she may not win. She was not a known supplicant. The Voids would not weep her passing. Her efforts were sufficient to distract. This was all that mattered. A zoorp noise indicated that the Prior was receiving a communication. He pulled a speaking device seemingly from thin air, "[Listening, my Sibling.]"

"[Ekmed On High. We have located the treasure amongst the trash. We are boarding the departing vessel now.]"

"[No, you fool!]" The Prior hissed, "[Bring it to me now. I am above you. Outside. I must begin purification immediately.]" It was essential that the taint of this planet's ignorant inhabitants be washed off the sacred artefact. The trinket had fallen into human hands by accident. A former prior, diligently going about their duty, had been shot down in the middle of an altercation. Their technology had been snatched by thieving heathens. Afterwards winding up here amongst a bigger pile of war spoils. "[By virtue of prayer we found it.]" Prayer, coupled with psychic premonition. Ekmed had meditated for days looking for clues to this trove's whereabouts.

Eas did not need a visual to confirm it. With her experienced hands, she felt the sensation herself. Her blade did not cut anything beyond clothing. She did not know what the man was made of, but his skin was much tougher than the best armor Braves wore. It was unfortunate but her sword was not going to see much use in this battle unless she could find a weak point. But could she really afford to take the time to do so? The man was already setting up his response.

He had jumped into the air, and it was only moments later that Eas realized what he was attempting to do. It was not everyday that one encountered a person wielding that level of destructive power so the thought didn't cross her mind until right before his fist connected with the steel. The floor shook. If she had not realize it and she did not have a good sense of balance, she might have stumbled. She had quickly widened her stance to keep that from happening, jumping slightly and timing it with the boat's momentary drop in elevation and return to normal.

It was a demonstration of power that she guessed was meant to literally and figuratively leave her shaken. She was not. It probably disrupted the ones working below deck, but it was not so hindering that they could not resume the operation right away. If anything, the move brought more trouble to the man himself, his hand being stuck for a second before he managed to pull it out.

Eas was not so kind as to not take advantage of this. She sheathed her sword, pulled out her laser and fired a round of shots at the man as he faced up and stared at her. As a sidearm, it was nothing comparable to the large guns the Braves normally sported. And considering the man's durability, it was unlikely to do much better than her sword. Still, she figured she ought to exhaust her available options before trying to think of something else.

Just as Dar caught a glimpse of Eas, he was greeted with a laser in the shoulder. It burned a hole right through his arm. Dar's durability was, sadly, only physical in nature. Against energies like this laser, he was no better off than a normal human.

Another laser grazed his leg. After a few more shots missed him, Dar brought his sword up just in time to block a laser that would have hit his chest. It was a lucky block, and he knew it.

This Zydon girl was far more graceful than he had expected. She didn't seem bothered at all by the entire ship shaking.

She would make quite the sailor, Dar imagined.

Eas wasn't the only one who was fast. Dar started to run, moving at 100 miles per hour in a zig-zag towards the alien. He knew that she was faster than he was, but at least she wouldn't be able to use her projectile weapon with any accuracy. Unless she had some other powers that Dar didn't know about. In that case, he would probably be dead soon.

For lack of a better plan, Dar rushed to close the distance between them. He swung his claymore at Eas, hoping to separate her torso from her legs. He doubted it would happen, but it was worth a try.

((OOC: Sorry for the delay. New character. Uncertain muse.))

The Prior busied himself with chanting. Even misguided souls such as these sailors at his feet were capable of redemption. Their spirits were doomed to wander lost in the Universe for their lack of faith. However, with his blessings here today, they may find themselves reincarnated and thus have another chance to appease the Voids. Their original mothers and fathers.

A pot of burning incense had been hung upon a spare hook for convenience. The chants rang off melodiously as he floated across the deck, "Chu Ek Et Nu'Bis Tah! Chu Ek Et Nu'Bis Tah! Chu Ek Et Nu'Bis Tah!" His staff landed on a severed limb, breaking the incantation. Beneath his mask Wanjack soured, immediately flicking the remains overboard. Filthy, unwholesome, savages! And to think, he was so good to them.

This momentary distraction caused the Prior to look up. They either had tiny craft on this world or else large winged wildlife. Ekmed's breath held as that dot in the sky began to descend, towards them. "[The prowler of atmospheric sin strikes its death blow from above. INCOMING!]" His last word was directed at Eas herself. Call it showing favour.

The result was unexpected. Her opponent's seemingly invulnerable skin was penetrated so easily by her laser. Was it a fluke or a bluff? Perhaps his toughness was not something he could maintain and was only active for a few moments at a time? Several theories quickly ran through her mind, each one as unlikely as the next, in a span of a second. But now was not the time to overthink things. In the first place, she hardly knew enough to come up with a definitive evaluation. What worked worked and she would continue to employ it until it proved ineffective.

Despite the damage, the warrior pressed on, displaying his own enhanced speed. It was far below what Eas was capable of but she recognized it as something that would give your average soldier trouble. Still, with the kind of advantage she held, it would be foolish to just stand there and let him approach. She fired a couple more shots at his legs, seeing that he was preparing to swing his sword. It would be a difficult task to alter the sword's path to block the beams.

It was around then that she heard the Prior's warning about incoming danger. Looking up, a large figure was preparing to crash right into her. Whoever or whatever it was timed its approach well with the warrior's movements such that it was just a few meters away before Eas could notice. Prioritizing survival, she "exploded", her first step hitting the deck hard and accelerating her from 0 to 600 in an instant. The steps that followed however were completely silent, her second ability coming into play. She had circled around the two enemies such that she ended up on the opposite side of the ship as them. From there, she fired more shots in their direction so as not to give them time to recover.

Kyte should be making his entrance soon. The demon's taste for flair was worse than Dar's. Far worse. The battle might be over by the time he showed up. Dar's wounds stung. At this rate, it probably would be.

A laser grazed Dar's leg as he approached his opponent. She was fast, faster than he was, and that was a problem. If he could just hit her once, then the fight would be over, and Dar could turn his attention to the creepy, floating guy.

Dar jumped to avoid more lasers, staying just low enough to swipe at Eas' head. She moved so fast that he couldn't even see her. That terrifying realization was soon eclipsed by what Dar saw in front of him: Kyte, the demon, mid-swoop and already attacking. With their combined speeds, it seemed impossible for the two to be able to miss each other at this point. Unlike Kyte, Dar couldn't alter his trajectory. He was fully committed to the jump.

While a collision between them would not do much harm to Dar, it could possibly break a few of Kyte's ribs, or worse. Dar didn't have the time to apologize. He closed his eyes and braced for impact, even though it would probably not hurt him.

Did he actually hit Kyte? Dar wasn't sure. He was going so fast that he wasn't able to distinguish the sensation of slamming through a steel wall from anything else. Dar could only hope he hadn't accidentally decapitated his ally with a careless swing.

Opening his eyes, Dar saw more lasers burning into the ground around him. He rolled to the side, getting away from the opening in the wall he had created.

A sword, it seemed, was too old-fashioned a weapon for a fight like this. For the first time, Dar felt archaic. His usual tactics weren't working, and he couldn't defend effectively against those lasers.

There was no guarantee he would survive the night.

"[Sir. The holy artefact.]"

"[Do you know what that is, my Sibling?]"

Two Elite acolytes had just ascended the stairwell. landing in the wake of their superior with a humble bow, sweeping their robes off their right shoulders as a traditional show of respect. They stared at the deck, a gemstone held forward in offering. At Ekmed's question they raised their hooded eyes. Recognition translated into a gasp. The necrotic energy being given off by the prowler was the source of their astonishment. Dark magic had all been eradicated from Zydon society. Few of the new acolytes had ever witnessed corrupt enchantments.

"[It is the taint of evil. It is the justification to our propaganda. Our vigilante persecutions of these backwater heretics. Hence; there is no further time to purify. We must act in Void name! Call upon Toobif, my Siblings, entity of star might! Vanquish these unwholesome practitioners!]"

A steely edge crept into Ekmed's tone as he continued to speak, said proclamations rose in volume until his final order was screamed in hatred at his opponents, rising above the crackle of flame that roared into existence behind him. Both acolytes had unleashed fireballs, which twisted and contorted in mid-air to form strands of vibrant infernos. The gemstone from before was hovering centrefold of this display. Like an atom the strand of flame began to course around its nuclei, at which point Prior Ekmed manipulated the levitation of his acolytes to shoot the gemstone. On it went like a comet streaking forth into oblivion.

The artefact itself had been encased by a clear layer of resin. It was a Zydon artistic technique long favoured by the Priorhood. Inside these resin dimensions was the true prize - a nugget of Forestone. The Priorhood taught that, at the beginning of creation, a chunk of rock fell down from Paradise. This rock shattered and was scattered across the universe. However, it was still blessed with the divine will of the Voids. Forestone was the gods' gift to Zydons. It allowed them to expose false magic. Humans knew this marvellous mineral as Nth Metal.

The outer shell of resin was instantly vapourised in contact with Kyte's black energy. That same black energy was itself extinguished in the presence of the Nth Metal nugget. Even small quantities of the mineral could nullify magic. This allowed the trailing fireball to strike into the very heart of their enemy's defences. An unexpected surprise, no doubt. Best they repent now whilst their flesh was licked by holy pyre.

With the addition of a second opponent with special powers, Eas determined that adjustments needed to be made regarding their operation. So far they seemed intent on just doing battle, but if they decided to go after the Coverts working below deck, covering them from both would be quite a daunting task especially since the winged one appeared to possess troublesome abilities. She opened the line on her communicator to the operative working on the salvaging.

"[Accelerate the operation to phase five and take only the essentials. Powered humans have appeared on board. Let's not take unnecessary risks.]"

"[Acknowledged. We already have men setting up explosives in the engine room and three other locations in the hull. We'll have the troops evacuated with the cargo in two minutes.]"

Frankly, that was still too slow in her eyes, but as they were operating on an assumption, it would have to do. The Prior on the other hand was rather riled up by the developments and decided to take a more proactive role. It was a welcome assistance. She could only imagine how troublesome it would have been if she had to request him herself to intervene.

He seemed to possess a method to get past the enemy's protective ability. That should put things in their favor. She waited until the energy was dispelled before firing off several more shots in their direction. At the same time, she readied herself to intercept should they actually change tactics to protect the ship.